Foldable contour-type chair



March 17, 1959 M. PEARLsTlNE 2,87726 FOLDABLE CONTOUR-TYPE CHAIR Filed Aug. 24, 3.956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVEN TOR. MGRTON PEARLsTmz-z ATTORNEY arch 17, i959 M. PEARLsTlNE v 2,877,826

l FOLDABLE coNToUR-TYPE CHAIR l Filed Aug. 24, 1956y 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Z9 INVENTOR.

5/ MoQToN PEHRLST'NE United StatesPatent FOLDABLE CONTOUR-TYPE CHAIR Morton Pearlstine, Cynwyd, Pa., assignor to The Bunting Company, Inc., Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application August 24, 1956, Serial No. 606,098

4 Claims. (Cl. 155-117) This invention relates to an article of furniture and is more particularly directed to a lounge chair of the contour type.

A principal object of the present invention is to pro vide an improved lounge chair of the contour type which 1s readily collapsible and is of simple and sturdy construction.

A further object of the present invention is to provide such a lounge chair which is constructed of light weight materials such as aluminum and the like, and of plastic :fabric thereby rendering the chair ideal for outdoor and portable use.

With these and other objects in view, the invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part of the present specification, with the understanding, however, that the invention is not confined to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawings, but may be changed or modified so long as such changes or modifications work no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawings: n

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a contour chair constructed in accordance with and embodying the principles of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical section on line 2-2 of Figure l;

Figure 3 is a vertical section on line 3--3 of Figure 1;

Figures 4 and 5 are vertical sectionsvrespectively on lines 4-4 and 5-5 of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is the same as Figure 3 but shows the back rest folded upon the seat and leg rest;

Figure 7 is a vertical section showing further steps in the folding operation;

Figures 8 and 9 are sections taken respectively on lines 8-8 and 9-9 of Figure 3; and

Figure 10 is a rear elevation of the contour chair.

The foldable contour type chair constructed in accordance with and embodying the principles of the present invention includes an upright fore leg frame 10 that is of generally U-shape and which is made of a section of tubular metal. The opposite side legs of this frame, designated by the numerals 11-11, are provided with corresponding upper end portions 12-12 that extend in a sweeping curve rearwardly, first upwardly and then downwardly forming a bight. Suitably interconnecting corresponding portions of the fore legs 11-11 is a spacer rod 13.

The chair also includes an upright rear leg frame 14 that is of generally U-shape and which is made of a section of tubular metal. The opposite side legs of this latter frame, designated by the numerals 15-15, are provided with corresponding upper end portions 16--16 that extend laterally forwardly therefrom. Suitably interconnecting corresponding portions of the rear legs 15--15 is a spacer rod 17.

On each side of the chair, the fore leg 11 and the rear leg 15 are interconnected by an arm rest support or link 2,877,826 Patented Mar. 17, 1959 that is in the form of a plate 18 of inverted U-shape in transverse section. This plate link is provided with a base wall 19 and opposite side walls 20--20. The fore end portion of the plate link 18 overlies the upper end portion 12 of the fore leg 11 and is pivotally connected to the latter by a pivot pin 21 that extends horizontally through the opposite side walls 20--20 of the plate link 18 and the upper fore leg portion 12, the pivot pins 21-21 respectively on opposite sides of the chair being coaxially related. The aft end portion of the plate link 18 overlies the upper end portion 16 of the rear leg 15 and is pivotally connected to the latter by a pivot pin 22 that extends horizontally through the opposite side walls 20-20 of the plate link 18 and the upper rear leg portion 16, the pivot pins 22-22 respectively on opposite sides of the chair being coaxially related. Referring particularly to Figure 2, it will be observed that the base wall 19 of the plate link 18 bears on the fore leg upper end portion 12 at a point substantially in advance of the pivot pin 21 and on the rear leg upper end portion 16 at a point substantially aft of the pivot pin 22. Fixed to the plate link 18 by any suitable means is an arm rest that is in the form of a plate 23 of inverted U-shape in transverse section. This arm rest terminates at its fore end in a cap plate 24 and is arranged to cover the plate link 18.

The chair is provided with a seat and leg rest frame 25 that is made of a section of tubular metal and which is disposed generally horizontally between the fore legs 11-11, at a suitable height from the floor line. This `frame is of rectangular shape and is provided with a suitable knee bend intermediate the opposite ends thereof. Corresponding opposite side portions of the seat and leg rest frame 25 are secured respectively to the terminal portions of the upper fore leg portions 12--12 by horizontally extending coaxially related pivot pins 26-26. The frame 25 extends forwardly from the pivot pins 26-26 and over the spacer rod 13, being seated upon the latter.

The back rest of the chair comprises a frame 27 that is made of tubular metal and which is disposed upright at the rear of the seat and leg rest frame 25. This back rest frame is generally of rectangular shape, the opposite side portions thereof being designated by the numerals 28-28 and a lower end portion being designated by the numeral 29. The latter portion is disposed in superposed spaced relation to the aft end portion of the seat and leg rest frame 25, being hinged thereto by a pair of hinges 30-30. Each hinge 30 comprises a part that depends from the underside of the back rest lower end portion 29 and which is pivotally connected to a second part extending upwardly from the top side of the aft end portion of the seat and leg rest frame 25. The opposite side'portions 28-28 of the back rest frame terminate at their lower ends respectively in portions, designated by the numerals 31-31, that extend laterally forwardly therefrom in a sweeping curve. These portions 31-31 are interconnected by a rod 32, the opposite end portions of which are fitted respectively into the portions 31-31, and the main body of which engages the bottom of the seat area of the seat and leg rest frame 25, to the rear of the spacer rod 13.

In the use of the chair, the weight of the occupant is carried by the seat and leg rest frame 25, suitably fitted with webbing, indicated by the numeral 33. The fore and rear leg frames and the plate links interconnecting the same coact to support the seat and leg rest frame 25. The fore and rear leg frames are locked against spreading under the weight of the occupant by their interaction with the plate links, whereby the upper fore leg portion 12 and the upper rear leg portion 16 on each side of the chair bear against the base wall 19 of the associated platelink 18 to prevent pivotal movement of the chair legs in leg spreading direction. The back rest frame 27 is secured against pivotal movement rearwardly relative to the seat and leg rest frame 25 by engagement of the rod 32 with the bottom side of the latter. The occupant, by leaning or pushing backwardly, may tilt the seat and leg rest frame 25 and the back rest frame 27 as a unit about the axis of the pivots 26--26 from the full line position to the broken line position shown in Figure 3, in which broken line position the back rest frame engages the spacer rod 17.

Referring particularly to Figure 6, in order to fold the chair, the back rest frame 27 is turned clockwise about the axis of the hinges 30-30 to a position closely overlying the seat and leg rest frame 2S. Then the fore and rear leg frames and the plate links interconnecting the same are turned as a unit clockwise approximately 90 degrees about the axis of the pivot pins 26-26 from the full line position of Figure 6 to the full line position of Figure 7. It will be observed that in Figure 7 the fore leg frame 10 is turned slightly relative to the plate links 18-18 clockwise about the axis of pivot pins 21-21, being disengaged thereby from the plate link base walls 19--19. In addition, the rear leg frame 14 is turned slightly relative to the plate links 18-18 counterclockwise about the axis of pivot pins 22-22, being disengaged thereby from the plate link base walls 1919. To completely fold the chair, the rear leg frame 14 is turned counterclockwise from the full to the broken line position of Figure 7, it being understood of course that the arm rests 23-23 are positioned as required so that as the rear leg frame 14 approaches its final folded position, the spacer rod 17 that is carried thereby clears the sweepingly curved back rest frame portions 29-29.

What is claimed as new and useful is:

l. In a foldable contour-type lounge chair assembly a generally horizontally extending seat and leg rest frame, means for supporting said frame at a suitable height above the oor line including on each side of the chair a rear leg and a foreleg, each rear leg extending convergingly upwardly toward its associated foreleg and turning forwardly into an upper end terminating portion, each foreleg extending convergingly upwardly toward its associated rear leg and forming a bight by turning rearwardly and then terminating in a downwardly rearwardly extending upper end portion, a rigid horizontal link member connected to and overlying portions of each foreleg and rear leg pair for pivotal movement of said legs toward one another about horizontal axes, said seat and leg rest frame being connected to the said terminating upper end portion of the said foreleg for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis disposed rearward of the pivotal connection between said link and said foreleg, whereby said rear and forelegs are biased to spread under the weight of an occupant of the chair.

2. The foldable contour-,type lounge chair assembly of claim 1 wherein said horizontal link member is disposed at arm rest height and is of inverted Ushape in transverse section, said inverted U-shape providing a longitudinally extending base wall and a pair of longitudinally extending opposite side walls, said link member pivotal connection to said rear leg upper end terminating portion being fixed at a point forward of the rear leg forward turning point, said rear leg upper end terminating portion bearingly engaging an area of said link member base wall rearwardly of said rear leg pivot, said link member pivotal connection to said foreleg being fixed at a point rearward of the foreleg bight center, said foreleg bight bearingly engaging an area of said link member base wall forwardly of said foreleg pivot, whereby said legs and link members are interlocked for securing said legs against spreading under the weight of an occupant of the chair.

3. The foldable contour-type lounge chair assembly of claim 2 wherein the pivotal connections between said legs and said link members are between said legs and the longitudinally extending opposite side walls of said link members of inverted U-shape.

4. The foldable contour-type lounge chair assembly of claim 1 further including a back rest frame pivotally secured to the rear of the said seat and leg rest frame for swinging forwardly and downwardly to a position closely overlying the latter, said back rest frame below its pivotal connection to said seat and leg rest frame extending downwardly forwardly and upwardly for butting engagement with the underside of the said seat and leg rest frame in normal set-up position, whereby said back rest frame is secured against swinging rearwardly and downwardly relative to said seat and leg rest frame.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,988,788 Goodman Jan. 22, 1935 2,679,285 Luckhardt May 25, 1954 2,714,925 Rosenfeld et al Aug. 9, 1955 2,719,572 Goldberg Oct. 4, 1955 

